Evangelicalism has been one of the most dynamic forces in American religious life, emphasizing personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the necessity of evangelism.
Evangelicalism has been one of the most dynamic forces in American religious life, emphasizing personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the necessity of evangelism.
Reflecting on my early days as a believer in the 1990s, I remember what I’d call my “heyday” of being deeply connected to my local evangelical church, which had a Pentecostal church structure.
As my two-year contract with the Congregations and Polarization project at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture ends, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to such meaningful work.
For most of my life, I carried wounds that no one could see—wounds buried so deep they shaped the way I thought about everything: God, myself, and others. These weren’t the kind of wounds you bandage or explain away with a story that makes people feel comfortable.
This tragedy teaches us that it's entirely possible to say we believe the gospel while inwardly living by our performance, reputation, or role in the church. We may sing “Amazing Grace” on Sunday, but we rely on our own faithfulness Monday through Saturday.
I grew up around people who looked like me but never felt like I belonged. My own culture felt like a jacket that never quite fit. I wore it because I had to. But it always felt tight in the shoulders, awkward at the seams.
